The gospel musical "Crowns" by Regina Taylor, now on stage in Bloomington-Normal, is based on an adaptation of a book by Michael Cunningham and Greg Marberry. "Crowns" celebrates the community that can be found in church, the "Hattitude" that comes with the choice of church hat, and the guiding force of gospel music.
After Yolanda, a young woman from Brooklyn, goes to live with her grandmother down south after her brother is shot and killed, she is ushered into a new world.
This world includes a church-going lifestyle and an education in Black history, as well as the time honored tradition of church hats.
"Crowns" takes you on this journey with Yolanda, and you learn from the characters’ stories, the importance of the church hat from the etiquette to the fashion to the history, and how identity and healing can be found through these hats … or crowns.
This is the last weekend to see "Crowns" at the Normal Activity Center. It's a production of the Bloomington-based Coalescence Theatre Project. You can find tickets on the theatre's website.
And listen above to learn more about Coalescence Theatre Project’s production of "Crowns" with a conversation with director Elaine Hill.